I'm Leaving on a Jet Plane

As a part of the ministry school that I work for, our students have the opportunity to go on an outreach somewhere across the world. This year, we have teams going to Iceland, Australia, South Africa, UK, and three locations in the USA. I have the opportunity to co-lead a team of eight people who are headed to Australia! As we have been preparing to go, I have gotten several texts and Facebook messages about packing, so I thought I would share a few tips that I have learned along the way!

Learn to be a minimalist!

I tend to only ever bring a small carry-on suitcase and a backpack when I travel for longer than a week. That's right, I do not travel with any checked luggage, even when I travel internationally! Most people are shocked that I fit everything I need in those two items, but it never really seems to shock me because I always have more than enough to make my trip comfortable! I think the key that has helped me, is that I am realistic when I pack. I do not bring 20 different outfits or 5 different pairs of shoes for a 10 day trip. Again, I tend to take a minimalistic approach to packing, but it has always been very successful.

I keep all of my clothes and shoes within the same color scheme. I really like greyscale clothing because I can mix and match every item that I bring. I know for some people that seems really boring and dull to only have clothes in the greyscale, but you can always bring accessories to spice things up!

For my upcoming trip, I have 14 shirts, 3 jeans, 3 shorts, a dress, a jacket, a rain jacket, a bathing suit, pajamas and 10 undies and socks all packed in one carry-on. I will be gone for a total of 20 days, so I have plenty of items and I will just need to do laundry one time while we are away! All of my shirts are either black, grey or navy blue, so I can mix and match any of them with any of the jeans that I brought!

Have good travel gear!

I really value having good gear! I spend a lot up front, but in the long run it gives me the peace of mind that everything will not only work, but work well! Below, you will find some links of products I do not travel without!

Marmot Precip: You never know when it will rain! This little rain jacket has travelled all over the world with me! It folds into its pocket, so you can easily throw it in your purse or backpack to be prepared!

Comfy Shoes: It is VERY important for your feet to be comfortable while you are traveling. It is the worst when you have blisters and can’t enjoy what you are doing! I am currently rocking some Nike Internationalists and love them!

Packing Cubes: These are super helpful to organize all of your things. I like having a large one for my shirts and jeans, a smaller one for my undies and socks and then an even smaller one for my toiletries!

Timbuk2 Messenger Bag: I love my messenger bag! I can fold it up and put it in my backpack, so when I get on ground I can carry that as a day bag instead of my backpack! I love all of the pockets and built in wallet area for added organization!

Doterra On Guard: I love this blend of essential oils! It really helps protect you from all of the germs you may come in contact with during your travel! You can get it in oil form, a capsule, a throat drop or a beadlet!

Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Soap: This soap is like a magical concoction that you can literally do anything with it! You can use it as body wash, shampoo, laundry detergent, dish soap and the list goes on! I love it because it is multi-purpose and all natural!

Portable Phone Charger: It is the absolute worst when you are out and about taking video and photos with your phone and it dies! I love portable chargers because they have literally saved the day and photo opportunities for me!

Nalgene Travel Bottles: I love these bottles because they come in a variety of sized and I have NEVER had them leak. They advertise them as being leak-proof and up to this point in my life, that has been true! Plus, they are rather inexpensive for good travel bottles!